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This site contains a collection of techniques for barbecuing, smoking and cooking over fire. The techniques shown here are not the only way or the best way to prepare a certain item. This site is just a starting point and these techniques are a guide to creating your own recipes. Recipes included here come not only from personal experiences, but from many knowledgeable folks kind enough to share their secrets.
~thirdeye~

Polls

From time to time I feature Polls to see what YOU, my readers are cooking. Currently no poll is available.

If you click HERE you will go to my Poll Page and can see results of other polls as well as web statistics for my site.

Maybe you smoked a "picnic end" of the shoulder, the half closer to the hoof, which has some muscles that do have a hammy texture and color, but damn good flavor. It is a little different than the "Boston butt" end, which is more uniform in texture and flavor.

I tried the primb rib recipe without the dry aging and it was the best I have had. I did the crisp step in the oven, and it was perfert. My guests were so impressed. Why do so many cookbooks say to cook them at 350?

I’m glad you liked it. I do have some old cookbooks that give a slight mention at cooking them at lower temperatures. My copy of The Joy of Cooking from the ‘70s has only one or two lines on that subject. About 10 years ago Cooks Illustrated did an article on this method too. Alton Brown (Food Network star) had a show where he did one at low temperature in an oven, inside a clay pot.

Chefs have been cooking whole standing rib roasts at lower temps for a long time because they don’t loose as much weight as cooking at 350°.

read your recipe for standing rib roast. I have done it that way and the results are great. The additional sear at the end after resting (while the egg is heating up to 600+) does not really cook the meat further because of the relatively short time it is on the egg. Am bookmarking your site now. Thanks again.

Thirdeye, Thanks for your help in setting me straight on just how to cut and trim those ribs that were giving me fits. Great Blog, Ill add it to my link page if thats ok with you. My website is under construction as well as my blog. Take care, I will be visiting often

Thirdeye, thanks for the comment and for the posting on your web sightings page. I just returned from Hawaii and got some pointers from an old-time family pit master on a recipe for Teriyaki Smoked Butt...hopefully will be posting soon.

Mr 3rdI (new way of spelling -Thanks for all your tips etc..My first year with the EGG has been great -your ideas site has been great (except for the fact that all my neighbours friends and family are eating me out of house and home - what are you cooking this week John) Anyways - quick question - Would I do a Sirlon roast the same way you have for a rump/round roast ???

I think sirloin roasts are more tender than the rump roasts and sure, they can be cooked the same way. My favorite sirloin roast is the tri-tip which is cut from the bottom of the sirloin. Are tri-tips available in Ottawa?

Thanks for the help w/ the sausage recipe last week - made the farm sausage you recommended and it came out great. Had a couple of pounds of pork cut up and found a good recipe for Knockwurst so I bought a veal shoulder - got all set and could not source casings locally so into the freezer to be made into sausage this weekend.

I'm glad you liked the Farm Sausage. Those kind of recipes from the heartland of America are sometimes overlooked. Be sure and try a sausage sandwich or use it as the meat topping on a mild home-made pizza.

No, the original instructions call for curing in a plastic tray or container. I like curing in zipper bags instead of a tray because I turn it often and I don't have to handle the meat like you do when using a tray.

I have not tried the vacuum bags myself either. I think the advantages to vacuum sealing would be keeping the liquid that will form after a few days is closer contact with the meat curing the cure.

I tried a bone in leg of lamb today indirect at 350 with firebricks and a drip pan and the outside did not look done when the internal temp hit 140. The pictures can be found here http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/incompletely/HPIM0015.jpg

You are right, in fact the rosemary does not look like it has even darkened. I recommend either an up-front sear (see the lamb shoulder recipe on the Welcome page), an end sear or cooking direct on a raised grate over a low fire. The direct cook being most difficult to master, but the most flavorful. You can see an example of a lamb picnic cooked direct here:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/thirdeye2/Barbecue%203/89c13b31.jpg

Thank you for your website. Very useful information. In your wood for cooking section you advise that citrus wood should be used with caution. I live in Florida and have access to wood from orange trees and was wondering if it is ok to smoke with it and what precautions I should take. Again, thank you for your very helpful website and your help.

Orange is one of the "fruit woods" and is fine for smoking. I have used it when grilling seafood and smoking chicken. Most of the orange and lemon wood I have tried has been in the form of small trimmings or compressed pellets, instead of the more familiar chips or chunks. Beause of that it performed a little differently as far as smoke generation. Like any wood that you are trying out, go easy at first until you figure out what you like. Don't be afraid to mix woods either.

I am a new big green egg owner and I am not sure about the best way to light the lump charcoal once in the egg. Is it better to light it from the bottom and let it burn upward or is it better to light it from the top and let it burn downward. I have been using an electric starter by placing it at the botton and placing the coal on top of it and lighting the coal from the bottom. As you can tell from this question I am indeed inexperienced and your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Good question….There are actually two correct answers. If you are grilling steaks, burgers or making a pizza and want a hotter fire, start the lump from the bottom. After 8 or 10 minutes with your electric starter, slightly spread out the lump and wait until the fire evens out and settles down. Adjust your vents accordingly for one of these jobs.

If you are doing a lo-n-slo cook, like ribs, beef brisket or one of the pork shoulder cuts (butt or picnic), start the lump toward the top of the pile. You can use your electric starter, but I like to use a couple of starter cubes. BGE makes some and so does Weber. This method allows for a smaller fire, and permits a slower propagation slowly over time.

Mr. Thirdeye you have done it once again! I made a prime rib for my wife's birthday party following your recipe and it was the best one I have ever had. Even my two brothers who are chefs could not believe the even level of doneness of this roast. In between bites they were discussing using those cooking temps in their restaurants.

thirdeye: I am soaking a small pork butt 3.5 pounds tonight. I don't want for my first butt to big and ruined it thats why I am trying a small one. Have you ever soaked a butt in apple cider? I also made up your pork rub and added that to it also. Did I do wrong and screwed up allready.

I try soaking the butt in cider and then used your rub. It came out awesome. After I pulled it I put some cider in small roasting pan on top of the stove and put the pulled pork in there to keep warm until we were ready to eat. Thanks for your site.

Question: I am going to try the Buckboard Beacon and when you get your cure done I like to know what you do. But for now I order the Buckboard Bacon Cure, but what kind of wood chips would I use. We are not into flavor beacon, we just like good old fashion beacon.Thanks so much for your site and all your help, are smoking and cooking would not be half as good without your site.

I'm glad your pulled pork came out so good! I will have to give that a try.

Thank you for the kind words, no one knows it all and I enjoying sharing what little bit I do know. Learning new tricks (like the apple cider brine) is what makes this hobby fun.

The best and most and complete answers about the Buckboard are on my Buckboard page. You can also view Hi Mountain's instructions on that same page. (just click the blue "here"). But I'll give you some thoughts...I like either apple or maple wood and I like the finished Buckboard fried or grilled. This process and cure will NOT make old-fashioned bacon. It is more like a cross between Canadian bacon and ham. Check out all of the pictures on the Buckboard page to see what I mean.

~thirdeye~Have youe ever work with maple flavor in your cooks. If so do you inject your cooks with it and also do you use pure maple syrup or do you like log cabin maple syrup. Or just coat the out side of your meat?Pork Butt Mike

Nice website, love your helpful info. A quick question about your turkey breast instructions. The pictures show that you leave the skin on when you cook it. Do you put the rub under the skin or just on top? Thank you, Jamey

Sure, you can put rub under the skin it will add flavor directly to the meat. Be careful as you work it loose so you don't tear it.

Another nice thing is to sneak fresh herbs under the skin. Sage leaves, rosemary and basil work very well with chicken. During the cook they will release a lot of flavor. The presentation is nice too because following the cook you can see the herbs through the skin.

Flavored butter is another adder for under the skin. I like to flavor it with chopped herbs or crushed garlic or with a rub, then form it into a log or cube and chill it in the freezer. It makes slicing easier and does not break up as you are placing it under the skin. Make extra, in a couple of flavors. It keeps well in the freezer and has a lot of uses.

Thirdeye, I just want to thank you for your website. Everytime I need a good recipe or if I have a problem, this is the first place I turn to and I always find the answer. I just want you to know there are a lot of people like me who appreciate your knowledge and your willingness to share it with others.

If you are talking actual temp at the grate, (not dome temp, which will be higher) I would plan on 20 to 25 minutes per pound, but stick it with your cable thermometer to monitor the temp during tdhe cook. Ramp the pit temp up or down to match up with your serving time.

Found your blog whilst looking for Rudy's Cream Corn Recipe. Sad to say that while the cream corn at Rudy's is excellent, the brisket at the chain locations doesn't begin to match up to the original at Leon Springs. Love your site. Keep those smoke signals risin'!

Going to try the spares as you have posted on your site. I printout your recipes/suggestions and file them for future reference. I am also going to try pig candy today. Local store has the ribs @41.99 a pound. If I goof I haven't lost a lot. Keep up the research and good site.

i just saw your new tool and i love the idea! as a thirhand owner and proud to say so!! i suggest for your new tool "THE ROTATOR"can't wait for it to be available will be ordering some of those for my store for sure!! once again great product!!mikeb6109

thirdeye, I just found this link on the AWS forum. GREAT site. I am a BBQ freak from way back. I will be frequenting this site as much as I can. I can not wait for this weekend so i can try one of these recipes. The only problem I will have is deciding which one to try first as they all look great.

Just got one of your thirdhands and that is one too cool tool!! Can't wait to get your latest creation which for the contest I'd call it either "The Spinner" or "Hand Spindler". I hope it was okay to suggest 2 names.

ThirdeyeNew Primo owner aka no sushi on forum. Will want both of your tools, having just returned from living in Europe I would suggest CARAVEL which was a small, highly maneuverable, two- or three-masted ship used by the Portuguese and Spanish for long voyages of exploration from the 15th centuryKind of hints to the funtion of your tool too.Ken

Hi Thirdeye,If Ike or one of the other following hurricanes don't blow us out, I am headed on a tuna trip the 20th. However, we all meet in Duck, NC the night before and I have been assigned to bring the brisket. My question is about reheating after the brisket has been bagged and chilled. What is the best way to get back to temp before slicing and approximately how long will it take to get there?Best,W. A. WellsVirginia

Hopefully you can stay out of the storm path.....There are two ways I like to reheat large pieces of meat like a brisket, the first is right in the vacuum bag you used for chilling. I use a large Nesco roaster full of water. The second way would be to remove the foiled wrapped brisket from the vacuum bag and place on a tray and go into a 250° oven.

~thirdeye~

If you were doing a pork butt, it's okay to shred the pork. For brisket I like to leave it whole.

Hopefully you can stay out of the storm path.....There are two ways I like to reheat large pieces of meat like a brisket, the first is right in the vacuum bag you used for chilling. I use a large Nesco roaster full of water. The second way would be to remove the foiled wrapped brisket from the vacuum bag and place on a tray and go into a 250° oven.

If you were doing a pork butt, it's okay to shred the pork. For brisket I like to leave it whole.

I was looking at you smoked salmon dry cure, and it says 2 cloves of garlic. But the picture (with the salmon skin side down on the plastic wrap) looks like a lot more than 2 cloves of garlic to me. Should the dry cure involve more garlic or are my eyes just being deceived by that picture?

I am now a new egg owner and saw your website. I was curious when using a grill extender whne doing tow differesnt meats. Butt and Baby Bak ribs.

I started the pork butt first at 250 for four hours. Then I added the Ribs on top of the grill extender and will leave ribs for three hours. Will this harm my Boston butt if the ribs are dripping on top of it.

hi. I just read the brisket page as I have a Xl BGE and am dying to try doing a brisket (I have done about 20 pork butts). You mention mopping, I was just wondering what you use as a sauce to mop with?

Hi Third Eye. I just looked at your brisket page and am dying to try one on my XL BGE. You mention mopping. My question is; what do you mop with (sauce not tool)? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks

I followed your pastrami recipe. tastes great. I smoked to 150 deg and pressure cooked for 20 minutes. a little tough, i need to work on slicing thinner or maybe pressue cook longer. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. i refer to your website often.

I'm going to make some clarification on my pastrami page regarding pressure cookers and give a range of time. Some models operate at 15 psi, others as low as 10psi. This can make a difference in processing time. Also altitude adjustments come into play if you are above 3000'

I use natural release, which takes about 20 minutes for the cooker to come down... The one thing to remember is that once you pop the lid, if the meat does not pass the fork test, you can immediately pressure it back up and process another 5 minutes.

I read your fish taco recipe. I have always made these with no breadcrumbs and just quickly hit in a non stick skillet. I like catfish. I think the key to a real goos fish taco is to not have an overly powerful sauce. I usually use a ranch dressing with chipotle and nothing else. I see you use a cole slaw mix and that sound like it add another dimension to flavor and texture. It sounds like you have a favorite type. Would you mind posting a recipe?

I like the crunch the panko crumbs give, it's a very light breading and still lets the fish flavor come through.

If my fish tacos are a spur of the moment thing, I will just buy a small amount of slaw from the deli at the market. My favorite recipe is a copycat one that is really close to the slaw from KFC. It calls for a small dice, but larger pieces work better for fish tacos.

Directions: Be sure that the cabbage and carrots are chopped up into very fine pieces, about the size of rice kernels. Combine the some of the sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, and lemon juice and beat until smooth. Taste for sweetness and adjust sugar as needed. Add the cabbage and carrots. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. (overnight is better)

Hi ThirdeyeLove your pics on bbq, looks awesome. 2 questions? 1 What effect does a raised grid have over the regular height? I would assume a lower temp at regular height would get same results as ahigher heat at raised grid height.Actually how much taller is your raised grid after you raise it?Also I would love a update on charcoal. All due respect to naked whiz, his tests rankings are all 5 years old or more. Would love a update. Thanks Barry C

I've always felt that cooking with a raised grate gives me a bigger window for turning, as well as more time to balance color and doneness. When cooking direct and close to the fire, things can happen pretty fast, they can also get out of hand pretty fast. With various set-ups I can get 12" of height, although cooking at the rim of my BGE is my favorite zone.

TNW is the charcoal expert, when I'm burning it I'm cooking something. Hehee.

On the BGE website, I saw in a post you mentioned pressed chicken. What are the benifits to pressing chicken? Do you heat up the brick or in you case the pizza stone with the cooker or do you put cold bricks on top.

Anthony, I believe Chicken Under A Brick is a Tuscan technique. The chicken cooks a little quicker, but the skin comes out really crispy. Generally the recipes call for the chicken to be marinated in oil and herbs.

Have you ever used the half moon raised grids to cook direct and indirect on a large BGE? Have you ever used the 3 tier rack on a large BGE? If so, how were the results? I would like to stick with a kamado shape but would like to have a few more options.

Thirdeye, the site is terrifc and has been a fantastic resource for me. I have had my best brisket efforts as a direct result of your site. The last time, I tried the injection at the 180 mark as the brisket was coming out of the plateau. This seemed to drop the meat temp quite drastically and I assume added a lot of time to the cook. Is this normal or should the injection be heated prior? Any insights here would be much appreciate. To be clear, everyone raved about the end result.

Hey Bob.... You brought up a good point....Yes, the injection should be warmed when used during the plateau. In the same fashion, liquid added to foiled ribs should be heated, and even folks using bullet smokers with water pans should add hot liquid to those pans.

An online friend, Ron in GA., just got me into smoking, and he "challenged" me to make the buckboard bacon. I followed your simple steps to a T, and the results are absoulutely something I am proud of!

Thank you so much, as I don't believe I will EVER buy Canuck bacon again.

For about $27, we have 9# of glorious pork. Lookin' forward to some homemade breakfast sammies, perhaps even a pizza.

The cure time is based on thickness because the meat absorbs it at a given rate... 8 hours is generally the amount of time for an average skin-on salmon fillet (which is cured from one side only) to take the cure. It's way more important not to under cure it (like only curing for 4 hours).

If you bump your time to 10 hours, a couple of extra hours most likely won't hurt, it might firm up the texture a hair.

Often I'll cure mine around noon one day, rinse and move to the fridge that evening for the overnight rest and smoke it the next day.

I don't cover mine at all, you could get away with a loose shield of wax paper...but you need air to circulate around the meat. The purpose of the overnight rest is to allow a "pellicle" to form on the meat, which means that the surface dries and becomes sticky. The pellicle keeps the meat moist during smoking, prevents the fats from escaping and takes on a good flavor and color from the smoke.

I think I messed up.I just ordered aseveral HM sausage kits.They came with everything.I was under the impression that I needed to buy the cure also.I now have a 7 lb. bag of cure and don't know what to use it for.Any suggestions?I swear I saw somewhere on that website that it said be sure to order your cure too.HOSS

I just ordered several HM sausage kits.They came with everything.It was my understanding that you needed to buy the CURE seperatly.I KNOW I saw on that website somewhere to be sureand order cure also.I now have COMPLETE kits,cure and all AND a 7 pound bag of cure.Are there any uses for this cure alone?just wondering what to do with all this cure.Any tips or info will be greatly appreciated.Thanks.Hoss

I smoked Salmon today using your recipe and some of the advise you gave me over the last few days. I already decided I did not smoke enough. We cut into it while it was still warm and it was touch to cut as well as your picks. Maybe after it is cool it will be easier. I used cherry wood for the smoke. I tried to pull at 135. Might have been a little higher. I think next time I will pull at a lower temp.

Thirdeye,you know my predicament with the 7lbs of cure.I called Hi Mountain and got a VERY helpful young lady.I was Hoping that the cure was the same as BBB,well it is not.She did say I could add my own seasonings to it to make jerky.Do YOU have any recomendations as to a seasoning blend I could use?Like what spices/seasonings and ratios.If I order their kits theycome with everything so it defeats the purpose.I do not want to order their seasoning in bulk because I have never tried any of them and don'want to end up with a bulk box of jerky seasoning that I don't like.Would you think I could use this cure for anything other than curing jerky???Thanks.Hoss

Hoss, I really don't have any recipes for adding seasoning to the cure... however the kits have a packet of cure and a packet of seasoning. Let me check the packages and see if the ratios change with each flavor.

I have another idea that I think will help you... Send me a direct e-mail, there is an e-mail link (in an orange box) at the very bottom of my home page. It's a very old hotmail addy and still has the mail DOT prefix, so be sure and include that.

Yes, I have used several recipes for homemade corned beef, and usually they don't need as long of a soak out as the store bought corned beef products do. The commercial brines (which are also injected) are a harder cure than most home cures.

As far as the cook and the finish, I do home corned roasts the same as the store bought ones.

I'll be smoking three meats simultaneously for the Super Bowl. I have a 4lb. beef brisket that I cut into three hunks. A giant pork loin that I cut into 7-8 fist size chunks, and a deer ham that fileted into three hunks. It's all in the fridge marinating in dry rub. I plan to put the brisket on the top shelf, the pork below, and the venison below that. I'll probably use apple wood and a little hickory. So, how long nad what temp? I have a meat thermometer... thanks.

Anon, Sorry I missed your Superbowl cook question, and hope it worked out for you. First I would not have cut up the brisket, and would have done a foil finish on it to insure tenderness. Pork loin should pulled when the internal temp reaches 150°ish. Venison ham is a hard cook because it's so lean, I advise folks to eat it as rare as they can stand, for me that's usually around 130°.

Great blog, welcoming and very informative. I have owned and been cooking on a BGE for over four years. Of late my "Q"s quality has not been as good as when I first started. My friend and family tasters tell me the brisket, pork and ribs are coming out acrid. I am using quality meats, either weber's apple or oak chips, BGE or weekend warrior lump charcoal and cooking between 250 and 325 depending on ribs, shoulder or brisket. The texture and tenderness is great and I am getting beautiful smoke rings. I keep my BGE, grills and tools clean. I have gone back to all the basics as if the BGE was new. I recently tried Myron Mixon's perfect brisket using his injection method and have even bought rubs from the texas rub company and 17th BBQ. I also turned to bottle sauces such as Arthur Byrant's sweet and hot. nothing seems to work. We are having 22 friends over this weekend for a BBQ and I could use advice on how to get my "mojo" back. At this point I do not know what is more frustrating; my golf game or good "Q"

Adding food before the smoke is ready (this will usually be the early white smoke) will usually impart a bitter flavor. Part of the white smoke comes from the fresh lump, and some comes from the wood.

I would suggest larger pieces of wood than chips, and for me fist sized chunks are hard to control, so I split them into smaller pieces I call "splits". These might be 3/4" square and 3" long. I bury some splits into the lump as I'm filling the firevbox.

I also take a handful or so of the chips like you are using and mix them in with the lump as I'm filling the firebox.

Next, I light the fire in the center with a torch, add my platesetter and drip pan, then wait for the Egg to come up to temp, adjusting the vents as needed to catch the temp I need.

Once I'm up to temp I just wait for the white smoke to settle down, then add my food. This might take 45 minutes or so. I'm looking for light gray or blue smoke.

Now, during the cook, as my fire grows, it finds new lump and also new wood. Because it grows slowly no white smoke will be noticed.

On my homepage click the "Introduction to Barbecuing" link. I have a bunch of smoke photo's there.

Thanks thirdeye for the expert advice. You may have nailed it. What I have been doing is setting up the lump, igniting with a electric coil and quickly bringing it up to 400 degrees. I would then put the plate setter in and grill and get the temperature down to 250-275. Just before I put the meat on I would lift up the grill and plate setter, place some chips directly on the lump in the center and some around the side. At this point I quickly get the plate setter back in place a drip pan filled with water on the place setter, get the grill back on and then the meat. Close up the BGE and watch that white smoke rise believing I am imparting the smoked flavor. To make matters more interesting during the cooking I am concerned that I am not seeing smoke and usually one time after an hour or two open the egg and add more chips to the edges of the lump through the opening edges of the plate setter. I will use your method advice this weekend and certainty advise you of the results. Two more quick questions. Should I use a drip pan filled with water (wine, apple juice) for the cooking or no liquid just the pan? The other question is, one of your blog followers in the BGE forum suggested wrapping a handful of chips in aluminum foil pouches with punched holes and placing 2 to 5 pouches in the lump working from center out to the edges. I believe the method is the chips never fully ignite and somehow smoke in the foil producing a sweeter taste. What are your thoughts on that method?

It looks like you got in too big of a hurry to get your meat into the smoke. Don't worry, that is one of the most mis-understood things about barbecuing, but it's really easy to fix. I have answered similar questions 4 times this week, so I took a few minutes to update my Intro to Barbecuing page to include some more photos of the steps to building a fire. Check out that page, the visual should really help.

LIQUID: I personally don't use liquid in my drip pan. But if you do be sure and heat it up first.

FOIL POUCH: A foil pouch of chips works well in a gas grill but there is no reason to use that method in a charcoal cooker. You want a gentle blend of flavor from the lump, and flavor from the wood. I would stay with a mixture of chips & splits and see how that works for you.

Hi Bob, I have a pastrami recipe on the site (which is smoked corned beef) but do not have a recipe for corning beef. I like Old Daves recipe for corned beef, you can find it here )along with a lot of other good ones too!

Hello Thirdeye - I started you recipe for nova lox today. Do you think lox can be frozen? Also, I am going to do the soldering iron cold smoke. Is there a need to get any air flow in a cold smoke? And lastly, I did not come anywhere close to 1/8oz of sugar when I used 2 tablespoons. I got closer to 1oz.

Anthony, I have not frozen my lox but several readers have reported that they have. I would not keep it frozen longer than 3 or 4 months and suggest a vacuum sealed bag be used to get as much air out as possible. The soldering iron technique works well, and you DO need airflow when cold smoking. I just looked at the recipe and I think you have found a typo (thanks for that), 2 tablespoons of sugar would be 1/8 cup, which is about 1 ounce. I'll make those corrections in my write-up.